Part 22 (2/2)
”When they have only to heave-to and let us overhaul them, sir,” cried Mr Reardon, swinging his gla.s.s round and narrowly missing my head.
”No, sir, they're signalling to the sh.o.r.e; and before long we shall see another junk come swooping out from behind one of those headlands, to take us in the rear. If they don't, I'm a Dutchman.”
”Then Dutchman you are, Reardon,” said the captain, smiling. ”I only wish they would.”
”Here they come, sir,” I cried excitedly--”one--two--yes, there are three.”
”What? Where?”
”You can only see the tops of their sails, sir, over that flat, low island this side of the big cliffs.”
”Eh! yes.”
Only those two words, as the captain sighted the slowly-moving objects just indistinctly seen, but they were enough to send a thrill all through the s.h.i.+p.
For there was no mistaking the matter. The junk that had been hanging by us all night was a pirate after all, and she had signalled to companions on sh.o.r.e. I could see, too, that she was slightly altering her course.
The enemy was at last in sight.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
THE FIGHT.
”Oh, if I only dared hooray!” I said to myself; and then a flush of pride rose to my cheeks, for the captain gave me a smart clap on the shoulder.
”Bravo, Herrick!” he said in quite a whisper. ”I thought you were right, my lad, or I shouldn't have done all this. Mr Reardon and I will make a fine officer of you before we have done.”
”Shall I pa.s.s the word down for the men to be on the _qui vive_?” said the lieutenant.
The captain laughed, and nodded his head in the direction of the hatches, which were black with peeping heads.
”No need, Mr Reardon; there is not a soul on board who does not know.
It is no time for making fresh arrangements. We'll keep exactly to our plans. Don't let a man show on deck, for depend upon it they will have a look-out aloft ready to give warning of danger, and we must not give them an excuse for signalling to their confederates to sheer off.”
”Keep steadily on, then, sir?”
”Yes, steadily and stupidly. Let the men go on as before up aloft, and let the rest of the men show their white heads and pigtails at the bulwarks as if they were wondering who the strangers were. Good pressure of steam below?”
”Yes, sir, almost too much,” said the lieutenant, after communication with the engine-room.
”Not a bit,” said the captain, rubbing his hands. ”We shall want it soon.”
My heart began to beat as they pa.s.sed on, and I wondered what would be the first steps taken. But I did not forget my promise. My duties were about nil, and as soon as I had seen the men staring over the bulwarks, and noted that the sham repairs to the rigging were steadily going on, I ran down the companion-way, and breathlessly told Barkins and Smith.
”Then there are four of them, Smithy,” cried Barkins. ”Look here, Gnat; he stuck out that there were only three. But well done, old chap, you are a good one to come and tell us. Here, don't go yet; I want to--”
I never heard what he wanted to, for there was too much exciting attraction on the deck, to which, being as it were licensed, I at once returned.
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